AU760789B2

AU760789B2 - Container

Info

Publication number: AU760789B2
Application number: AU56625/00A
Authority: AU
Inventors: John Clark; Noel Miller
Original assignee: NCI PACKAGING Pty Ltd
Current assignee: NCI HOLDINGS Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1997-06-27
Filing date: 2000-09-11
Publication date: 2003-05-22
Anticipated expiration: 2018-06-29
Also published as: AU5662500A

Description

1 Container Field of the' invention The present invention relates to containers. More particularly, but not exclusively, the present, invention relates to an improved form of container with lid or closure, being a container of what is termed the tamper-evident type.

Background of the invention In this specification, where a document, act or item of knowledge is referred to or discussed, this reference or discussion is not an admission that the document, act or item of knowledge or any combination thereof was at the priority date: part of common general knowledge; or known to be relevant to an attempt to solve any problem with which this specification is concerned.

Throughout the ensuing description reference will be made to an improved form of container in accordance with the present invention, as specifically illustrated in the drawings, including as principal components a container base and a top or closure therefor.

It should be realised, however, that the container as illustrated, and described in detail, represents merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In actual fact a •container in accordance with the present invention can be of any physical shape, be it 20 parallelepipedal, elliptical, round, oblong, square, or any combination thereof.

Containers of this general type, traditionally constructed of any suitable plastics material, have enjoyed usage in a variety of different contexts, and in particular for the packaging of foodstuffs, as for example frozen or dairy-case type foodstuffs, for a significant period of time. The prior art containers, whilst having enjoyed significant market acceptance, in 25 more recent times have encountered increasingly more and more criticism by virtue of the fact that, in accordance with the known constructions and techniques, it is possible for the lid or closure to be partially, if not totally, removed from the container base, thereby destroying the integrity of the overall container and permitting unauthorised access to the contents thereof. With such known arrangements it is in fact possible for the person 3 effecting unauthorised, premature removal of the lid or closure to replace the lid in such a 11274315 manner that it was not readily evident to the shopkeeper, customer etc that the overall container itself had been tampered with, and the contents thereof (wholly or in part) tainted, tasted or sampled, removed and/or contaminated, in other words that the overall container had been compromised. The consequences of such a result could be catastrophic, as has been apparent from recent experiences of many manufacturers. In recent times, therefore, there has been an ever-increasing demand for a lidded container of the type wherein, once the lid has been removed from the base either deliberately or inadvertently it would be readily evidence to the viewer, be it either the shopkeeper or a potential customer or user, that such an undesirable step had taken place and the contents in some way possibly compromised. In the industry, what is termed a tamper-evident lidded container has been called for, to satisfy customer requirements, health regulations etc.

Prior art attempts at achieving such a tamper-evident container have not been particularly successful, or alternatively have involved a rather complicated arrangement which has given rise to inordinate expense in the overall manufacture thereof. In that regard it should be realised that industry and commercial requirements are not only that a tamper-evident type of container be provided, but that such a result be achieved at minimum additional cost (when compared with the existing, prior art containers).

By way of example only, one form of prior art container used for the packaging of foodstuffs, in particular foodstuffs of the perishable type, achieves a sealing effect through 20 the use of a hermetic seal. In the main, such containers involve or include heat-sealed membranes of any suitable material, as for example a foil material, with a cap, whereby to provide the required shelf life and tamper protection. Such an arrangement has been found to be not conducive (to not lend itself) to current practices where large containers are often employed and the proposed contents of such containers do not call for, or in fact need, any form of hermetic seal.

It is known that a degree of tamper-evidence can be achieved, even with traditionally employed prior art containers, by the provision of a heat-shrunk protective band or sleeve surrounding the lidded container. However, such an arrangement has been found to add •significantly to the overall packaging cost, and also has been found to be unsatisfactory by 30 reason of the heating procedure associated therewith, a process which could adversely 7affect the contents of the container, this more especially if such contents are in the form of frozen and/or dairy products, or for that matter products of a perishable nature.

11274315 The present invention seeks to overcome the problems and disadvantages associated with the prior art by providing a tamper-evident container of the aforementioned general type which, apart from affording protection against deliberate or inadvertent removal of the lid from the base, achieves that result with a configuration which lends itself to ready highspeed manufacture, from a suitable plastics material, at comparable cost to that incurred with currently known and in use packaging procedures of this general type.

Summary of Invention The present invention provides a container comprising a base member and a co-operating lid or closure therefor, said base member including a substantially vertically extending container wall having, at or in the vicinity of the upper edge thereof, an integrally formed exterior assembly extending substantially parallel to said container wall over substantially the entire periphery thereof, and forming therebetween an upwardly-facing annular recess, said assembly being connected toextending from the outer side of said container wall, said lid or closure having a skirt depending downwardly from the outer periphery thereof and adapted, in use, to be located within said annular recess of said base, and wherein said assembly of said base includes, at or in the vicinity of the upper free end portion thereof and extending around at least part of the periphery thereof, an inwardly extending bead, and wherein said skirt includes, at or in the vicinity of its lower or free end, a foot a portion of which, in the closed position of said lid or closure on said base, is located below said 20 inner bead of said assembly of said base and is in locking contact therewith, and wherein, in the closed position of said lid or closure on said base, the foot extends substantially across the width of the annular recess and contacts the bottom of the annular recess.

In the closed position of the lid or closure on the base, the exterior assembly provides a protective band around the lower edge of the skirt of the lid or closure to limit access thereto. The limited access to the lower edge of the skirt of the lid or closure provided by the exterior assembly makes the container suitable for being tamper evident, because S tamper evident means may be provided to permit access to the lower edge of the skirt of the lid or closure to enable opening of the container.

"In the closed position of the lid or closure on the base, the foot extends substantially across 30 the width of the annular recess and contacts the bottom of the annular recess so that a 1 portion of the foot may be located below the inner bead of the assembly to lock the lid or S closure into position on the base.

11274315 Preferably, the container further comprises a tamper evident means, the tamper evident means comprising a portion of the assembly frangibly connected to the base member. An attempt to access the container will result in breaking of the frangible portion which would be readily apparent to an observer.

Preferably the tamper evident means is constructed as a tear-offportion to permit gripping of the lower edge of the skirt of said lid to initiate disengagement of said lid from said container.

Description of the drawings In order that the invention may be more clearly understood and put into practical effect there shall now be described in more detail preferred embodiments of a tamper-evident container in accordance with the invention. The ensuing description is given by way of non-limitative example only and is with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a container (base member and co-operating lid or closure) in accordance with the invention; FIG. 2 is a top perspective view, similar to FIG. 1, showing the lid in position above the base member, but removed therefrom, thereby illustrating certain of the internal features of the base member; *FIG. 3 is an exploded view of one corner of the base member of a container in accordance with the present invention, having a tamper-evident tab or removal flap associated S 20 therewith; FIG. 4 is a top view of a container base member in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 5 is a side view of the container base member of FIG. 4; FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a lid or closure means for a container in accordance with the invention; FIG. 7 is a sectional view, similar to FIG. 6, of the uppermost portion of a container base member in accordance with the invention, at a location around the periphery thereof removed from that portion of said overall container which houses a tamper-evident means in accordance with the present invention; :t in accordance with the present invention; 11274315 FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a container (base member and lid) in accordance with the present invention, with the base member and lid of FIG's. 6 and 7 mechanically interconnected, being a view taken along the line 8-8 in FIG. 4; FIG. 9 is a view, similar to that of FIG. 8, of that portion of a container in accordance with the present invention which houses or includes a tamper-evident means, being a view taken along the line in FIG. 4; FIG. 10 is an isometric view of a container base according to a further embodiment of the present invention; FIG 11. is an isometric view of a tamper evident means of the container base of FIG. FIG 12. is a plan view of the tamper evident means of FIG. 11; FIG 13. is a cross-sectional elevation of the container base of FIG. 10 section A-A on FIG. 12; FIG 14. is a further cross-sectional elevation of the container base of FIG.

with a lid; FIG 15. is a cross-sectional elevation of the container base of FIG. 10 section B-B on FIG. 12; FIG 16. is a further cross-sectional elevation of the container base of FIG.

with a lid; FIG 17. is a cross-sectional elevation of the container base of FIG. 10 20 section C-C on FIG. 12; FIG 18. is a further cross-sectional elevation of the container base of FIG.

with a lid; taken through 13 when fitted taken through 15 when fitted taken through 17 when fitted

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As illustrated, a substantially parallelepipedal lidded container, generally designated 1, is provided, such including a base member 2 and a lid or closure 3.

25 Preferably the base member 2 and lid 3 are constructed from a suitable plastics material, in a high-speed moulding operation. The actual material and method of construction, o however, are not of the essence of the invention, and could be varied dependent upon the T nature of the contents for the container. In an especially preferred embodiment a high density polyethylene or polypropylene material could be employed for both the base 't 11274315 member and the lid or closure. Alternatively, a high-density polyethylene or polypropylene material could be used for construction of the base member, whilst a low density polyethylene or polypropylene material could be used for the construction of the lid or closure. Food quality materials may be employed when the containers in accordance with the invention are intended for the storage of foodstuffs and the like.

The base member 2, as best shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7, includes a substantially upwardly extending peripheral side wall 20 having, at or in the vicinity of the uppermost end thereof, an assembly generally designated 21 which, in manner to be explained hereinafter, co-operates with a substantially complementary-shaped assembly 31 provided at or in the vicinity of the outermost edge of the lid or closure 3, thereby to give rise to a tamper-evident closure/container in accordance with the present invention.

With particular reference now to FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7, the assembly 21 includes a shoulder portion or flange 22, a further wall portion 23 extending substantially normally and upwardly away from said shoulder portion or flange 22, a crest portion 24 and a depending portion or member 25. In the preferred embodiment illustrated the crest portion 24 takes the form of a member which is continuous with the further wall portion 23, but extends substantially normally thereto and relatively outwardly therefrom. The depending portion or member 25 then extends downwardly, and at an angle, away from that end of the crest portion 24 which is removed spatially from the further wall portion 23. The end result 20 is that, in the especially preferred embodiment illustrated, the free end 26 of the depending

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member 25 is continuous and spaced circumferentially from the further wall portion 23.

Further wall portion 23, crest portion 24 and depending portion or member 25 together constitute an outward projection on base member 2.

The assembly 21 in accordance with the present invention also includes, on the base member 2 and preferably formed integrally therewith, a formation, generally designated extending in a direction substantially normally to the further wall portion 23 so as to S provide a circumferential gap 27 (see FIGS 7, 8 and 9) between the free end 26 of the depending member 25 and such formation 50. As best illustrated in, for example, FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, at angularly-spaced-apart locations around the circumference/periphery of the base 30 member 2 there are provided reinforcing webs 23a, such webs 23a generally extending between, and being integral with, the downwardly extending further wall portion 23 of the base member 2. The formation 50 includes a substantially horizontally-disposed leg 11274315 member 51, extending substantially normally to the further wall portion 23 via the web 23a, as well as respective upwardly and downwardly extending members 52 and 53. At or in the vicinity of the free end of the upwardly extending member 52 there is provided an inwardly projecting and sloping engagement bead 54. Preferably the upwardly extending member 52 of the formation 50 is provided, at its uppermost edge or end with an inwardly directed bevelled surface, which extends to form the protruding secondary engagement bead 54. The formation 50, with its respective upstanding and downstanding members 52 and 53, constitutes a protective band which extends around the entire periphery/circumference of the base member 2, intended to mechanically co-operate with the lid or closure 3.

The lid or closure 3, as best illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 6, 8 and 9, is intended to mechanically co-operate with the base member 2 and has, at or in the vicinity of the outermost free edge thereof and extending around the entire periphery or circumference thereof, an assembly or configuration 31 of a substantially complementary shape to that of assembly 21 of the base member 2.

With particular reference to FIG. 6, the lid or closure 3 includes a substantially horizontally disposed inner section 32, terminating in a wall section 33 extending downwardly therefrom and substantially normally thereto. A the lowermost end of the inner section 33 there is provided a further substantially horizontal section 34, depending substantially S 20 normally therefrom, extending in an continuous manner into respective inclined section 37, downwardly inclined section 38, substantially vertical section 39, inclined section 40 and foot member 41 extending substantially normally to said inclined portion 40. The inclined portion 40 has, extending inwardly and rearwardly therefrom, a segmented primary engagement bead 42.

Turning now to FIG. 9, there is illustrated therein a preferred arrangement for a tamperevident means to be provided at one, or more, locations around the circumference or periphery of the container. In a preferred embodiment, when the container is of a parallelepipedal shape, such a tamper-evident means may be produced at at least one r comer portion of the container. Alternatively, one such tamper-evident means may be 30 located at or in the vicinity of each corner. With the preferred arrangement illustrated, the formation 50' is provided with an upwardly extending member 52' of an elongated length when compared with the similar member 52 as employed elsewhere around the base 11274315 8 member 2. In addition, at the same location the reinforcing web 23a' has a portion thereof blanked out, thereby to provide a gap between it and the downwardly extending member 53' of the T-shaped formation 50'. The end result is that, in such locale(s) on the base member 2, the formation 50' has a different appearance to elsewhere on the base member 2, by virtue of its height extension 52', the formation 50' being attached to the base member 2, via the web 23a', in a frangible manner and is thus identified as a frangible piece. That section, or sections, around the periphery of the base member 2 having this configuration thereby constitute tamper-evident means for the assembled container. Any attempt, either deliberately or by accident, to access the container will result in breaking of the frangible formation 50', a result which would be readily apparent to the observer.

When assembled, as perhaps best seen in FIG. 8, the segmented engagement bead 42 of the lid 3 is located within the gap 27 existing between the free end 26 of the depending member 25 and the formation 50. At the same time the foot member 41 is in engagement with the bead 54 of the upwardly extending portion 52 of the formation 50. The result thereof is a double engagement of lid or closure 3 to base member 2, providing additional and improved security and integrity for the container and its contents.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated the downwardly extending member 53 of the formation or protective band 50 remains in firm attachment the web 23a apart, that is, from that region (or those regions) where the tamper evident means is provided. In the preferred 20 embodiment illustrated the downwardly extending member 53 will have a length of the "order of 3 times that of the upwardly extending member 52. It should be realised, however, •that the relative lengths of such members are not of the essence of the invention.

Figures 10 to 18 show an alternative embodiment of the present invention having a base member 100 and a lid 200. The base member 100 includes a substantially upwardly extending peripheral side wall 102 having, at or in the vicinity of the uppermost end thereof, an assembly generally designated 104 which, in manner to be explained hereinafter, co-operates with a substantially complementary-shaped assembly 202 provided at or in the vicinity of the outermost edge of the lid or closure 200, thereby to give rise to a "tamper-evident closure/container in accordance with the present invention.

30 Referring particularly to Figures 17 and 18, the assembly 104 includes a shoulder portion T or flange 106, a further wall portion 108 extending substantially normally and upwardly 5.away from said shoulder portion or flange 106, lip bead 110, horizontally-disposed leg member 112 and upwardly extending member 114. Lip bead 110 constitutes an outward projection on base 100. Lid-200 includes a skirt 204 and an inwardly facing engagement bead 206 that, when the lid is on the container, is in locking contact with lip bead 110 of base 100 by extending into the gap beneath projecting lip bead 110.

Referring particularly to Figures 11 and 12, there is provided a preferred arrangement for a tamper-evident means constituted by a formation on base 100 in the form of a tear-strip 116 to be provided at one or more locations around the circumference or periphery of the container. Tear-strip 116 comprises a substantially horizontal member 118, and a peripheral member 120 extending upwardly and downwardly from substantially horizontal member 118. Peripheral member 120 includes a band portion 122 and a tab portion 124.

Tear strip 116 is frangibly connected to the further wall portion 108 of base 100 via a series of connection filaments 126 and to the upwardly extending member 114 via membranes 128 and 130. As best seen in Figures 15 and 16, the connection filaments 126 are of reduced cross-section adjacent the further wall portion 108 to create a frangible connection. As best seen in Figures 12, 13 and 14, the portion of band portion 122 from which tab 124 depends is supported by membrane 128 and substantially horizontal member 118.

In this embodiment, tab 124 may be grasped and pulled upwardly to tear membrane 128, and, depending on the force exerted, one or more of the rightmost connection filaments 20 126. Further pulling of the tab will cause connection filaments 126, or further connection filaments 126, to break, thereby exposing the bottom of skirt 204 of lid 200 to enable opening of the container. If desired, tear strip 116 can be removed entirely from container 100 by also tearing membrane 130.

In a preferred embodiment, when the container is of a parallelepipedal shape, such a tamper-evident means may be produced at at least one comer portion of the container.

Alternatively, one such tamper-evident means may be located at or in the vicinity of each S-corner.

0000 Due to the downward extension of tab 124, in such locale(s) on the base member 100, the oo tear strip 116 has a different appearance to elsewhere on the base member 100 and is thus 30 identifiable as a frangible piece. That section, or sections, around the periphery of the base 9,1 member 100 having this configuration thereby constitute tamper-evident means for the.

11274315 assembled container. Any attempt, either deliberately or by accident, to access the container will result in breaking of the tear strip 116, a result which would be readily apparent to the observer.

The arrangement in accordance with the present invention is responsible for a number of practical advantages when compared with the prior art. Firstly it provides a tamper-evident means for the overall container. Secondly, it provides such a means in an efficient and cost-effective manner, adding negligible additional cost of manufacture when compared with the known art procedures. Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, the arrangement in accordance with the present invention lends itself readily to use with high-speed, thin-wall construction techniques.

The word 'comprising' and forms of the word 'comprising' as used in this description and in the claims does not limit the invention claimed to exclude any variants or additions.

Modifications and improvements to the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such modifications and improvements are intended to be within the scope of this invention.

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Claims

1. A container comprising a base member and a co-operating lid or closure therefor, said base member including a substantially vertically extending container wall having, at or in the vicinity of the upper edge thereof, an integrally formed exterior assembly extending substantially parallel to said container wall over substantially the entire periphery thereof, and forming therebetween an upwardly-facing annular recess, said assembly extending from the outer side of said container wall, said lid or closure having a skirt depending downwardly from the outer periphery thereof and adapted, in use, to be located within said annular recess of said base, and wherein said assembly of said base includes, at or in the vicinity of the upper free end portion thereof and extending around at least part of the periphery thereof, an inwardly extending bead, and wherein said skirt includes, at or in the vicinity of its lower or free end, a foot a portion of which, in the closed position of said lid or closure on said base, is located below said inner bead of said assembly of said base and is in locking contact therewith, and wherein, in the closed position of said lid or closure on said base, the foot extends substantially across the width of the annular recess and contacts the bottom of the annular recess.

2. A container according to claim 1 wherein the container further comprises a tamper evident means, the tamper evident means comprising a portion of the assembly frangibly connected to the base member.

3. A container according to claim 2 wherein the tamper evident means is constructed as a tear-off portion to permit gripping of the lower edge of the skirt of said lid to initiate disengagement of said lid from said container.. NCI Packaging Pty Ltd 6 March 2003 S 0 S 0 0e 0 0500 @005 0 Op~, 11274315